Biodiversity is the variety of organisms in an ecosystem that can be used to determine the health of an environment
Biodiversity is currently being threatened by habitat loss, the introduction of alien species, human-generated pollution, population growth, over-exploitation (over-hunting, over-fishing, or over-collecting), global climate change and deforestation
Deforestation is the cutting down of trees in a forest area that leads to environmental catastrophes: loss of biodiversity, the destruction of indigenous human habitats, soil erosion, excessive flash flooding, and climate change
Slash and Burn: a process by which forested lands are cut down and then burned in order to provide for nutrient-rich ash for vast fields that are used for agriculture, pastureland, and a variety of other purposes
Climate change is one of the most severe consequences of deforestation
Deforestation causes an increase in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere for multiple reasons
Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere; a disproportional amount of CO2 is left in the atmosphere when trees are cut down during the deforestation process because nothing is there to absorb it
Decaying wood material from the cut down trees emits CO2
Fires caused by the slash and burn process emit more CO2 into the atmosphere as well
Large logging corporations are responsible for deforestation, but the consumer is just as guilty
The consumer is responsible for buying lumber products, which in turn increases the amount of deforestation from these corporations that produce wood products, agriculture, livestock, etc.
Urbanization and expansion is also a cause for deforestation due to population increase
Subsistence farmers and settlers cause deforestation because the poor tropical soil forces frequent relocation, so trees are continually cut down to make room for agricultural land
The loss of plant species is significant because the tropical rainforest is host to many potential cures to diseases and other illnesses; hypothetically, we are destroying the future cure to cancer and AIDS
Trends of deforestation: These countries have the have the most annual deforestation from 2000-2005. Brazil has the highest annual deforestation from with 3,500,000 hectares (1 hectar= 10,000 square meters).
The rates are highest in Brazil mainly because the Brazilian government places very little restrictions on the large corporations because the Amazon rainforest is a gold mine of natural recourses that provides the Brazilian government with a large portion of its revenue
Things can be done on the individual level to help prevent the deforestation issue
Planting trees in your own yard helps counter the negative effects of deforestation by absorbing CO2, emitting O2, and preventing soil erosion
Recycling makes a difference because it cuts down on the need for trees and raw materials
However, things must also be done on a larger scale
Crop rotation helps keep the soil fertile by maintaining nutrient levels so that new land is not needed as often
More forceful laws need to be instated by the local governments to forbid further dramatic deforestation
The great deforestation problem has no quick and easy solution, but we can all do our part by taking more responsibility for the problems we create and help find new and innovative solutions
Biodiversity Crisis: Deforestation
What is biodiversity?
- Biodiversity is the variety of organisms in an ecosystem that can be used to determine the health of an environment
- Biodiversity is currently being threatened by habitat loss, the introduction of alien species, human-generated pollution, population growth, over-exploitation (over-hunting, over-fishing, or over-collecting), global climate change and deforestation
Biodiversity in the Ocean
Biodiversity on Land
http://marinebio.org/i/biodiversity2.jpghttp://www.caso-synergies.org/stone/Jungle.jpg
What is deforestation?
How does deforestation affect the soil?
- The ground soil in tropical forests, contrary to common belief, lacks nutrients because they are all stored in the vegetation of the tropical forest
- Therefore, when the trees and vegetation are removed, all of the essential nutrients are removed with them, leaving the soil worn out and useless
- Trees provide shade which cools the soil on the ground; when the trees are removed, the soil is subject to higher temperatures
- If the soil exceeds 25ºC, then the soil loses important nutrients like nitrogen, decreasing its fertility even more
- Deforestation can also lead to soil erosion, because there is nothing to hold the soil in place when all of the trees are removed
- Indigenous populations have to relocate due to soil erosion
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/deforestation.htmHow does deforestation cause flooding?
- Tropical rainforest can reach up to 400 inches of rainfall each year; without vegetation to absorb this rainfall, the flooding can be catastrophic
- More rain reaches the ground which causes more runoff of essential nutrients in the soil
Flooding in the Tropical Rainforest
http://lh4.ggpht.com/_F2uvz9bx3sE/SDSvDm65qMI/AAAAAAAAAkA/5rPL91e2org/P1010515.JPGHow does deforestation affect climate change?
- Climate change is one of the most severe consequences of deforestation
- Deforestation causes an increase in greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere for multiple reasons
- Trees absorb CO2 from the atmosphere; a disproportional amount of CO2 is left in the atmosphere when trees are cut down during the deforestation process because nothing is there to absorb it
- Decaying wood material from the cut down trees emits CO2
- Fires caused by the slash and burn process emit more CO2 into the atmosphere as well
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/deforestation.htmHow does deforestation affect biodiversity?
- Deforestation destroys the natural habitats of 50-90% of all organisms
- Over 50 million organisms are located in tropical rainforests
- We are losing between 50 and 100 different animal and species every day
- Deforestation also affects biodiversity on the global scale because of climate change
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/deforestation.htmWho is responsible for deforestation? Why is it significant?
- Large logging corporations are responsible for deforestation, but the consumer is just as guilty
- The consumer is responsible for buying lumber products, which in turn increases the amount of deforestation from these corporations that produce wood products, agriculture, livestock, etc.
- Urbanization and expansion is also a cause for deforestation due to population increase
- Subsistence farmers and settlers cause deforestation because the poor tropical soil forces frequent relocation, so trees are continually cut down to make room for agricultural land
- The loss of plant species is significant because the tropical rainforest is host to many potential cures to diseases and other illnesses; hypothetically, we are destroying the future cure to cancer and AIDS
http://www.umich.edu/~gs265/society/deforestation.htmWhat are the trends of deforestation? Where are the rates the highest and why?
- The rates are highest in Brazil mainly because the Brazilian government places very little restrictions on the large corporations because the Amazon rainforest is a gold mine of natural recourses that provides the Brazilian government with a large portion of its revenue
http://find.galegroup.com/grnr/retrieve.do?contentSet=GREF&sort=Relevance&tabID=T011&searchId=R9&docId=CP3208575042&prodId=GRNR¤tPosition=2&userGroupName=atla86097&resultListType=RESULT_LIST&sgHitCountType=None&qrySerId=Locale%28en%2C%2C%29%3AFQE%3D%28KE%2CNone%2C13%29deforestation%3AAnd%3ALQE%3D%28LU%2CNone%2C29%29%22Deforestation%7Cdeforestation%22%24&inPS=true&searchType=&docId=CP3208575042&docType=GREFWhat can/are we doing to prevent deforestation?
- Things can be done on the individual level to help prevent the deforestation issue
- Planting trees in your own yard helps counter the negative effects of deforestation by absorbing CO2, emitting O2, and preventing soil erosion
- Recycling makes a difference because it cuts down on the need for trees and raw materials
- However, things must also be done on a larger scale
- Crop rotation helps keep the soil fertile by maintaining nutrient levels so that new land is not needed as often
- More forceful laws need to be instated by the local governments to forbid further dramatic deforestation
- The great deforestation problem has no quick and easy solution, but we can all do our part by taking more responsibility for the problems we create and help find new and innovative solutions
http://ezinearticles.com/?How-to-Prevent-Deforestation&id=1887546Lex "The Dean of Mean" Alvarez and Jordan "The Stonewall" Gonzalez